1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to archery, and more particularly to so-called back releases for archery.
2. Background Information
Archers utilize release devices to protect their fingers from injury and to enable them to release a bowstring with minimal adverse influence of involuntary movements made during the aiming of the arrow and releasing of the bowstring. In a manner analogous to the aiming and firing of a rifle or handgun, in which involuntary movements of the hand, finger or other components of the body result in inaccurate striking of a target, so also do such involuntary movements result in inaccurate hitting of an archery target with an arrow.
A major source of such involuntary movements begins with the archer""s mental anticipation of moving the hand to pull the trigger of a gun or to release an archery bowstring. When this mental anticipation occurs, the anticipation induces anxiety and tension in the hand and fingers, which translates into involuntary movements. These involuntary movements in turn cause variances in the aiming and alignment of the device with the intended target. This can then result in a variety of unintended consequences including missing a target in competition or a game animal in hunting.
There are a variety of devices that exist in the prior art that are intended to lessen or do away with the unintended consequences of such tension and involuntary movements. Some of these devices include bowstring release devices exist in which a bowstring hook is arranged to hook and pull a bowstring release by pivoting the device laterally about the archer""s hand or fingers. Typically, these devices are either not adjustable or are adjustable only within narrowly defined limitations. As a result of this lack of adjustability, these devices may prove to be more of a bother than a benefit as they may require the archer to make movements that are unnatural, and which may cause the arrow to be directed in incorrect directions.
Therefore what is needed is an archery trigger release which provides faithfully reproducible results from an archery device. What is also needed is an archery device that provides an archer with the ability to adjustably modify the orientations and positions of the pieces and parts of the release device so that the bowstring can be drawn and released in a generally natural movement without the attendant problems associated with hand tensioning and involuntary movements.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bowstring release device that overcomes the aforementioned limitations and disadvantages of prior art bowstring releases. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bowstring release that allows the aiming and release of an arrow from an archery bow without adverse influence from involuntary movements of the archer. Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowstring release in which the release of a bowstring is achieved by movement of a bowstring hook member from a locked position holding a bowstring in a draw position to a bowstring release position without the archer knowing in advance at what position or under what condition the bowstring is released. A further objective of this invention is to provide a bowstring release in which movement of a bowstring hook member from a locked to a release position is infinitely variable and adjustable and whereby a variety of draw positions and the sensitivity of the bowstring release can be varied. A further object of the present invention is to provide a bowstring release of a simplified construction that is suitable for economical manufacture, which provides an infinite degree of sensitivity, adjustment, and release throughout a desired range.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The present invention is an archery bowstring release that includes a handgrip having a forwardly extending post pivotally mounting a bowstring hook member, which is adjustably engaged, to a pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism is adjustable by interaction with a post that is in turn engaged by a safety lever to vary and hold the position of a bowstring engaging potion of a hook. The pivot mechanism and the hook are further adjustable by an adjustment means located within the hook that allows for fine travel and fine adjustments to be made. These adjustments place the bowstring hook in a reproducible, repeatable locked position until the hook member is moved a distance sufficient to disengage from the locking portion and release the locking portion, or for the bowstring to release from the hook. The distance that must be traveled to achieve the release is dually adjustable by the two adjustment devices described in the invention.
In use, a party engages the pivot mechanism in a desired position and places a bowstring within a portion of the hook. The party then pulls back on the hook to draw the bow toward a desired position while aiming the arrow at a target. As the party draws the bowstring backward to a full draw position, the wrist which holds the invention will naturally turn at a desired location. When this occurs, the bowstring will release from the release device and the arrow will be projected. In as much as the exact time at which this release occurs is not known to the archer, the archer cannot anticipate this release and make involuntary movements that would alter the path or trajectory of the arrow. This results in better accuracy and precision in shooting arrows using a bow.
The present invention is a dual adjustable arrow release mechanism that enables a party utilizing the device to vary the configuration of the release, and the distances and positions of the parts of the release in an infinite variety of ways within a designated range. In the present embodiment, the hook member is adjustably connected to a cam device having a generally smooth half mooned shaped surface. This cam is configured for engagement with a generally flat topped pin. This pin can be alternatively engaged and released so as to allow a desired adjustment of the hook and the cam to be obtained. The generally smooth, round side of the cam allows the generally flat topped pin to engage the cam in a near infinite variety of positions, and in so doing to vary and alter the position of the hook and the distance that the release and bow string must travel in order to effectuate the release of the bow string from the hook. The pin is configured for connection with a safety lever that together are configured to engage and lock the cam in a desired position. This safety lever is also configured to allow the pin and cam to be released and to disengage the position of the cam with regard to the pin. Once the position of the cam is locked and the bowstring is pulled toward a full draw position, lateral movement of the device will cause the bowstring to disengage from the hook and the projectile to be fired. This disengagement may be obtained by releasing the string directly, or by having the cam, the hook or the combination of the cam and hook slip and release from a locked position when a designated amount of travel and force has been placed upon them.
In addition to the adjustment that can be achieved by varying the position between the smooth faced cam and the pin, further adjustment of the desired lengths and positions of the hook and the cam may be provided by the adjustment means located within the leg portion of the hook and varies the amount of distance and the orientation of the hook with relation to the cam. This feature allows further fine tuning of the release according to the needs of the shooter and the increased precision.
The combination of the smooth faced cam and the adjustment within the hook allows the dual release adjustable mechanism to have nearly infinite varieties of adjustment, so as to accommodate and configure a release mechanism that allows a user to use an archery release that most closely approximates an archers natural movements. Whereby, when the position and release of the bowstring are adjusted to accommodate the necessities of the user, these mechanisms afford a release of the bowstring that is substantially unpredictable and hence uninfluenced by involuntary body movements that otherwise are induced by anxiety and tension in the anticipation of the release of the bowstring.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measure by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature.